FARMERS’ UNION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1944, 25 February 1919, Page 3

FARMERS’ UNION.

MEETING ATmXTON,

The adjourned meeting of farmers for (he purpose of electing officers, etc., for the recently formed Foxton branch of the Farmers' Union, was held on Saturday afternoon. There was a fair attendance, and Mr W. E. Bai-ber was voted to the chair.

Mr Tancred -Cooper, provincial organiser, brietly addressed the meeting on lines similar to his previous speeches. He said that every farmer must recognise the necessity of organisation. This was particularly essential in view of the menace of the Meat Trust and Shipping- Combine, and also to consider the question of taxation as far as it affected the farming community. Although the Farmers’ Union had been in existence for many years it had not done as much.good as it should have done. One reason for (his was lack of proper organisation and the fact that the subscription was too small. The sub-provin-cial system of organisation, which was now in existence, would remedy this matter, and it was proposed to increase the subscriptions, making a minimum of £l. He explained at length the system of organisation. Mr Cooper also dealt at some length with the trend of affairs at the present time, and warned the farmers of the danger of allowing this country to be governed similar to that of Queensland. In Queensland today the farmers had no heart in (heir work, with the result that production was decreasing. The Government there Avas up against the freehold, and the conditions there at the present time were deplorable. The leasehold tenure was not in (lie interests of the fanners, and tended to put hack production. It also decreased the borrowing powers enormously. Mr Cooper dealt at some length with (lie menace of the Shipping- Combine. The following officers were elected for the Foxton Branch: —I’resident, Mr B. G. Gower; vice-presi-dents, Messrs F. 11. Crawley and W. H. Barber; secretary amt treasurer. Mr 11. Rics: delegate, Air \V. Ross; member of Mr F. W. Brown.